Really New Stories typically describe a use setting and a main character - the hero - who is using a really new product. In this doctoral thesis, Ellis van den Hende explains why early consumer input during the development of really new products can be remarkably frustrating to new product managers and product developers. Ellis elucidates how Really New Stories can present information about the new product concept in a way that is evocative and relevant for consumers. She tests and discusses the positive effects of Really New Stories on consumer understanding and attitudes and provides practical guidelines to put Really New Stories to work. To summarize, she explains how Really New Stories successfully contribute to the new product development process. Ellis van den Hende (1981) received her graduate and postgraduate training in product development and innovation management at Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. Her research has been published in International scientific journals, such as the Journal of Product Innovation Management. Please email the author for the latest versions of the papers in this thesis (ellisvandenhende@gmail.com). Thank you for your interest in this thesis!